Wa fruit juice factory to reopen in October
A fruit juice factory in Wa which was closed for not being profitable is expected to reopen for full operation in October under a new arrangement.
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The Wa Juice Factory will now open as the Ndaana Ghana Limited following a partnership struck between the Wa Municipal Assembly and a private business concern.
It is the hope of the Wa Municipal Assembly is hoping that with the new factory in place, coupled with a new market centre that was being constructed and ongoing works on the road network, the municipality would become an enviroment for vibrant business.
The juice-producing factory is expected to employ about 100 persons in direct production at the company and provide ready market and indirect employment to farmers and others in the value chain.
The Chief Executive of Ndaana Ghana Limited, Mr Gregory Lankono, said the refurbishment of the factory's physical structure was complete, while other relevant processes relating to logistics were in their final stages.
Mr Lankono said when the factory became operational again, it would produce pure fruit juices without additives such as sugar or flavours.
He told the media last Friday when the Chief Executive of the Wa Municipal Assembly, Mr Issahaku Nuhu Putiaha, visited the factory premises to ascertain the stage of work towards its reopening, that the investment had already passed GH¢200,000 and could reach GH¢1million by the start of operation.
Mr Nuhu Putiaha (2nd left) being briefed by Mr Gregory Lankona, Chief Executive of Ndaana Ghana Limited
Factory closure
The erstwhile Wa Juice Factory was established by the municipal assembly in 2007, but was deemed non-profitable due to operational costs exceeding inflows, and according to the Wa MCE "we ended up producing for ourselves".
He said at the time it was established, it was manned mainly by national service persons and the lack of qualified and experienced technical staff proved counter-productive, necessitating its closure in 2011.
Subsequently, a tender was issued for a partnership with the private sector, with Ndaana Ghana Limited winning the bid.
Per the arrangement, Ndaana Ghana Limited will operate the company for 10 years after which the municipal assembly will have up to 60 per cent stake in the company, including the machinery and any other tangible and intangible assets.
"There are multiple benefits in putting this factory back into business; it will create jobs for our youth and the various persons in the production chain, including farmers,” Mr Putiaha said.
Airport rehabilitation
The Wa MCE also visited the Wa Airport where the resident engineer of the Ghana Airport Company Limited, Kwaw Solomon Ayeh, said 80 per cent of the rehabilitation work had been completed.
He said the September 15, 2016 handover date was likely to be met on account of the progress of work.
With major works completed at the passenger terminal, access roads at both the land and air sides and runway markings done, he assured the Wa MCE that there was good reason to believe the rehabilitation contract schedule would be met.
Work in progress on the runway of the Wa Airport
78 Market stalls
The new Wa market structure, which will contain 78 stalls and toilet facilities on completion, is about 70 per cent complete.
Indeed, the first phase of 38 stalls has been completed, with the subsequent phases currently at different stages of construction when the MCE visited last Friday.
He also inspected the road network in some parts of the municipality where more than six kilometres of road have been paved and improved to various stages, and culverts constructed to improve the drainage system.
The Municipal Roads Engineer, Mr Kwabena Wiafe-Danquah, expressed satisfaction with the quality of work which was expected to cover at least nine kilometres by January 2017.